Railway car



Sepfio 5,. 1933. E WINE 1,925,426

RAILWAY CAR Filed Nov. 9, 1951- 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ma 5 7M BY 62: m

L'JATTORNEYS W. E. WINE RAILWAY CAR Sept. 5, 1933.

Filed Nov. 9, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .QllJ. L Wig? INVENTOR ATTORNEYS SPL 5, w w

RAILWAY CAR FiledNov. 9, 1931 ,3 Sheets-Sheet 3' INVENTOR MW 5- 2 6%, m ZIATTORNEY$ Patented Sept. 5, 1933 RAILWAY CAR William E. Wine, Toledo, Ohio Application November 9,

8 Claims.

My invention relates to railway hopper cars and more particularly to 'door frames of such cars and themanner in which they areassociated with adjacent parts of the car.

The principal objects of the invention are to increase the rigidity of the frame and to provide it with means whereby it may be rigidly secured to adjacent parts of the car, particularly the center sill and the neighboring cross ridge sheet of the car.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing the door frame with a substantially rectangular lading discharge opening and an inwardly projecting flange adapted to be secured to the inner side sheet of the hopperand to the centersill, the portion of the frame intermediate the flange and the adjacent side edge of the lading discharge opening being of plate-like form and being of substantially uniform width from a point adjacent the upper edge of the lading discharge opening to a point adjacent the bottom of the center sill.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the hopper door frame with a lading r discharge opening and with flanges respectively secured to the inner and outer side sheets of the hopper, each of said flanges having substantially vertical portions and the vertical portion of the flange secured to the inner side sheet being also secured to the center sill and extending downwardly to at least the bottom edge of the latter.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the door frame with inwardly project ing portions adapted to be secured to the inner H and outer side sheets and the slope sheet of the hopper, the inner edge of the slope sheet attaching portion and the lower portions of the inner edges of the side sheet attaching portions being provided with a laterally projecting reinforcing flange disposed in a plane spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel with the plane of the lading discharge opening, reinforcing ribs being integrally formed with the reinforcing flange adjacent the ends thereof and extending forwardly therefrom.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing the hopper door frame with a platelike portion intermediate the top thereof and the upper edge of the lading discharge opening, said plate-like portion being provided with a plurality of bosses engaging an adjacent cross ridge sheet of the ear and each of said bosses being provided with an aperture for receiving a rivet adapted to secure the frame to the ridge sheet.

A still further feature of the invention con- 1931. Serial No. 574,014.

slsts in providing, in' combination with a cross ridge sheet of the car and supporting means underlying the latter adjacent the ends thereof, a door frame provided with a portion secured to the ridge sheet, said portion of the door frame 0. being provided adjacent its upper corners with upwardly projecting portions adapted to overlap the outer faces of the ridge sheet supporting means.

Other and more specific features of the inv vention residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of substantially one half of the lower portion of a railway hopper car, the door frame and door being shown in elevation. I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the portion of the car illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the door frame.

Figure 5 is a front'elevational view of the door frame.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the door frame as viewed from the left hand side of Figure 5.

Figure 'I is a side elevational view of the door frame as viewed from the right hand side of Figure 5. I

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of the lower portion of the outer side of the door frame.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on line 9-9, Figure 8. 1

Figures 10 and 11 are enlarged detail sectional views taken on lines 10-10 and 1l11 respectively of Figure 5. v

For the purpose of illustration I have shown the door frame applied to a railway car provided with a center sill 1, a side sill 2, and a cross bearer 3 of the types illustrated in my cop'ending application Serial Number 533,848, filed April 29, 1931.

The center sill disclosed in that application is formed as a unitary casting and is provided with substantially vertical side walls 4 which are connected at their lower edges by bottom wall 5 and at their upper edges by an arched top wall 6. The side sill is of substantially Z-shape having an inclined web 7 and oppositelyprojecting substantially'vertical top and bottomflanges 8 and 9 respectively.

Intermediate the side and center sills the car is provided with a hopper which comprises inner and outer side sheets 10 and 11 and a downwardly inclined slope sheet 12. The upper portion of the inner side sheet 10 is disposed in a substantially vertical plane and is rigidly secured to the adjacent side wall of the center sill while the lower portion thereof inclines downwardly and outwardly. The major portion of the outer side sheet inclines downwardly and inwardly and is provided adjacent its upper edge with a substan tially vertical flange for attachment to the bottom flange 9 of the side sill. Both of the side sheets terminate at their lower edges in flanges 13 vided, preferably integrally, with a laterally projecting flange 15. which underlies the adjacent portion of the sheet. The outer portion of the cross ridge sheet is supported in a similar manner by a flange 16 which may be integrally formed with the adjacent end portion of the cross bearer 3.

Secured to the hopper adjacent the discharge end thereof is a door frame 17 which is preferably formed as a unitary steel casting. The frame has a lading discharge opening 18 which is preferably of rectangular shape and is provided with a plurality, of inwardly projecting portions 19, 20, and 21 respectively secured by a plurality of rivets to the inner and outer side sheets and the slope sheet of the hopper. The portions 19 and 20 are in the form of flanges and are provided with substantially vertical portions 22 and with downwardly converging portions 23. The vertical portion 22 of the outer flange 20 is rigidly secured to the bottom flange of the adjacent side sill while the vertical portion 22 of the inner flange 19 is rigidly secured to the adjacent side wall 4 of the center sill. It is to be particularly noted that the vertical portion of the inner flange is of greater extent than the vertical portion of the outer flange and it extends downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of the center sill.

Intermediate the outer flange 20 and the ad jacent side edge of the lading discharge opening the door frame is provided with a plate portion 24 of substantially triangular shape while intermediate the inner flange 19 and the edge of the lading discharge opening adjacent thereto. the frame is formed with a plate-like portion 25. This last-named plate portion is of substantially uniform width from adjacent the upper edge of the lading discharge opening to substantially midway between the latter and the lower edge of the opening while from adjacent this midway point, which is also the point where the inner flange starts to converge downwardly, the plate portion is of progressively decreasing width.

At the inner edge of the slope sheet attaching portion 21 of the frame, the latter is provided with a laterally projecting reinforcing flange 26 which instead of terminating at the ends of the portion 21 extends upwardly as at 27 for a limited distance along the inner edges of the inner and outer flanges 19 and 20. To additionally reinforce the lower portions of the side flanges 19 and 20 they may advantageously be integrally formed with substantially triangularly shaped ribs 28 which extend forwardly from the reinforcing flange 26 inwardly of their end portions These reinforcing ribs are preferably substantially normal to the flanges 19 and 20 and the the portions of the reinforcing flange which extend above the ribs may conveniently decrease in depth as indicated at 29. The end portion 29 formed on the outer side flange 20 preferably merges with a pad 30 with which the frame may be conveniently provided to afford a mounting for a suitable door supporting mechanism such as indicated at 31 in Figure 2. To further rigidify the lower portion of the door frame the free edge of the reinforcing flange 26 may be formed with a forwardly projecting bead 32.

The upper portion of the frame is provided with a plate-like portion 33 which extends downwardly from the upper edge thereof to the upper edge of the lading discharge opening. This plate portion is offset to provide a portion 34 which is disposed in the plane of the lading discharge opening and borders the upper edge thereof and a porton35 for attachment to the ridge sheet 14. The portion 35 is integrally formed with a plurality of inwardly projecting bosses 36 the inner ends of whichare adapted to seat against and engage the ridge sheet 14 and each of them is formed with an aperture to receive a rivet for securing the frameto the ridge sheet. With the exception of the outermost ones, the bosses are connected by longitudinally extending ribs 3'7 which are also adapted to seat against and engage the outer face of the ridge sheet. By providing the door frame with a relatively small area, such as is afforded by the bosses 36 and ribs 37, to engage the ridge sheet, a very firm and rigid connection may be obtained between the latter and the frame without danger of distorting the sheet and without the necessity of machining a large area of the frame to obtain a smooth surface for engaging the ridge, sheet.

The upper edge of the plate portion 33 is provided with an outwardly projecting reinforcing flange 38 which extends from one side of the frame to the other. At its ends this flange is preferably formed with upwardly projecting portions 39 which are respectively adapted to overlap the outer faces of the ridge sheet supporting means 15 and 16 to prevent the escape of fine lading from the car adjacent these points. The outer ends of the portions 39' are reinforced by forwardly extending ribs 40 which are disposed in the planes of the vertical portions of the adjacent side flanges of the frame, while the inner ends of the portions 39 are reinforced by rearwardly projecting ribs 41 which extend downwardly and merge into the bosses 36 adjacent thereto.

For closing the lading discharge opening 18 of the frame, a sheet metal door 42 having inwardly projecting marginal flanges 43, may be conveniently employed. The door may be conveniently provided with straps 44 to receive pins 45 for pivotally connecting the door to hinge lugs 46 formed integrally with the plate portion 33 and the reinforcing flange 38. To prevent the escape of fine lading between the door and frame, the latter is provided adjacent the side edges of the discharge opening with outwardly projecting flanges 47 and adjacent the bottom edge thereof with an outwardly projecting flange 48. The upper edges of the side flanges 4'7 are offset inwardly as at 49 and merge with the plate portion 33 of the frame, while the flange 48 in effect forms a continuation of the slope sheet attaching portion 21 of the frame. The marginal flanges 43 of the door are arranged to overlapthe outer center sill, of a hopper comprising inner and outer side sheets anda slope sheet, said inner sheet being secured to the center sill, a door frame having a substantially rectangular lading discharge opening and provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting flanges respectively secured to the said sheets of the hopper, the flange of the frame secured to the inner side sheet being also secured to an adjacent portion of the center sill and said frame being provided with a platelik e portion intermediate'said last-named flange and the adjacent side edge of the lading discharge opening, said plate-like portion being of substantially uniform width from a point adjacent the upper edge of thelading discharge opening to a point below the bottom of the center sill and progressively decreasing in width from adjacent said last-named point to adjacent the'lower edge of said opening.

2. In a railway car, the combination with a center sill, of a hopper comprising inner and outer side sheets and a slope sheet, said inner side sheet being secured to the center sill, a door frame having a substantially rectangular lading discharge opening and provided with inwardly projecting flanges adjacent the inner and outer edges thereof respectively secured to the inner and outer side sheets of the hopper, the inner.

flange of the frame being secured to an adjacent portion of the center sill, said frame being provided with a plate-like portion intermediate said inner flange and the adjacent side edge of the lading discharge opening, said plate-like portion being of substantially uniform width from adjacent the upper edge of the lading discharge opening to a point substantially midway between the latter and the lower edge thereof and being of progressively decreasing width from adjacent said midway point to adjacent the lower edge of the opening. 1

3. In a railway car, the combination with a side sill and a center sill, of a hopper having inher and outer side sheets respectively secured to the center and side sills, a door frame having a substantially rectangular lading discharge open ing and being provided adjacent. its inner and outer edges with flanges respectively secured to the inner and outer side sheets of the hopper, said frame being also provided with plate-like portions respectively interposed between said inner and outer flanges and the adjacent sideedges of the lading discharge opening, each of said flanges of the frame having a substantially vertical portion and a downwardly inclined portion converging toward the other flange, the vertical portion of the outer flange being secured to the side sill and the vertical portion of the inner.'

and a slope sheet, of a door frame having a lad-- ing discharge opening and provided with portions respectively secured to the side and slope sheets of the hopper, the inner edge ofthe slope sheet attaching portion and the lower portions of the inner edges of the side sheet attaching portions of the frame being provided with a laterally projecting reinforcing flange disposed in a plane spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel with the plane of the lading discharge opening, and reinforcing ribs extendingforwardly from adjacent the ends of said reinforcing flanges and being formed integrally therewith.

5. In a railway car, the combination with a hopper comprising inner and outer side sheets and a slope sheet, of a door frame having a lading discharge opening and provided with portions respectively secured to the side and slope sheets of the hopper, the inner edge of theslope sheet attaching portion and the lower portions 'of the inner edges of the side sheet attaching portions of the frame being provided with a laterally projecting reinforcing flange disposed in a plane spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel with the plane of the lading discharge opening,

and triangularly shaped reinforcing .ri'bs respectively formed integrally with the end portions of said reinforcing flange and the adjacent side sheet attaching portions of the frame, each of said ribs extending forwardly from adjacent said reinforcing flange and being substantially normal to the adjacent side sheet attaching portion of the frame.

6. In a railway car, the combination with a hopper comprising inner and outer side sheets and a slope sheet, of a door frame having a lading discharge opening and provided with portions respectively secured to the side and slope sheets of the hopper, the inner edge of the slope sheet attaching portion and the lower portions of the inneredges of the side sheet attaching portions of the frame being provided with a laterally projecting reinforcing flange disposed in a plane spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel with the plane of the lading discharge opening, said side sheet attaching portions of the frame being respectively provided with outwardly projecting reinforcing ribs formed integrally with and extending forwardly from said reinforcing flange inwardly of the ends thereof, the portions of the reinforcing flange extending upwardly above said ribs progressively decreasing in depth.

7. In a railway car, the combination with a hopper comprising inner and outer side sheets and a slopesheet, of a crossridge sheet, supporting means underlying said ridge sheet adjacent the ends thereof, and a door frame having a lading discharge opening and provided with portions respectively secured to said sheets, the portion of the frame secured to said ridge sheet being provided adjacent its upper corners with upwardly from the latter, said flange being provided adjacent its ends, with upwardly projecting portions respectively overlapping the outer faces of the ridge sheet supporting means.

- WILLIAM E. WINE 

